She struggled to keep her composure as she handed the last bill from her wallet to the cabbie before shuffling out of the car, the vehicle humming off as it’s electric engine propelled it forward to the next pick up. The girl paused as she looked around at the buildings surrounding her. Nothing had changed in the years since she had last been here, the brickwork still hearkening back to decades past when Canterlot had been a bustling hub of industry. Now these tall, narrow pillars were reserved for low-income housing, the rent probably similar to what it may have been when they were first constructed.
Her aquamarine eyes glanced over across the street, narrowing as they settled on Canterlot High School, her entire reason to be here. Running a hand through her scraggly, sapphire blue hair, the girl quickly checked both ways for oncoming traffic, before meandering slowly across the road. The first thing she noticed was how open the walkway up to the front doors was, the old horse statue and block were gone. She paused as she neared where it once stood, her eyes glancing down as a sad frown played at the corners of her lips.
A jolt ran down her spine as she noticed a single, small circle tile sitting directly in the middle of the small plaza. She knelt down, fingers gingerly tracing the shape sitting in the middle of the tile; a sun, split in half. A tear ran down her cheek, merging onto her nose before coming to dangle precariously on it’s tip. It dangled there, before falling, coating the tile with its salty contents as the girl wiped at her cheek. Today was the seven year anniversary of the day the Sirens won.
The day everything went wrong.
(\/):.:(\/)
At first, everything seemed fine when three new sisters transferred into CHS, the student body was more focused on Sunset Shimmer, and their varying opinions of her still being a member of the school’s student body. If it wasn’t for Princess Twilight, there likely wouldn’t be anyone on her side, so having six at least sometimes speaking up in her defence was a godsend for her as she tried desperately to right her wrongs and makes amends as best she could.
It had been brought to light that Sunset was just barely above being destitute; living with an elderly woman in her apartment complex in the wrong side of town, a building that was threatening to fall in on itself at any moment. Very few had ever made a point of how Sunset always wore almost the same clothes every day, they had often been more focused on not inviting her wrath at the time. But now, it was just one of the many things people muttered about her behind her back. Rather loudly, behind her back.
So when the three sisters arrived, they were greeted warmly- the students had learned from Princess Twilight, after all. It just wasn’t meant to be shared with the one that had brainwashed a majority of them and caused their lives to be so tense for the last three years. Ironic, given what these sisters would end up doing. One of their first lunch breaks had them slowly saunter into the large, packed cafeteria, singing and swaying. It had caught everyone’s attention, for one reason or another, and soon they found themselves bickering over the three of them. Sunset had been sitting with the five Human members of the group that had shown her the error of her ways, the six of them seemingly unaffected by what was manipulating the other students.
But it had affect them- the five human girls slowly started to voice their bitterness about being left with Sunset over the course of the rest of the week, just as the rest of the school started to lunge at each other’s throats. Sunset, in her desperation, retrieved one of the few items she had brought from Equestria, a magic journal, linked with another that was kept by the countries ruler, Princess Celestia. This world needed help, and surely she would know something.
Instead, Princess Twilight responded, and soon after, Sunset and the five grumbling Humans stood waiting at the portal statue, Princess Twilight soon stumbling out. All six were ecstatic to see her, certain that she could once again save them from the new Equestrian menace. Sunset stood back as she watched her saviour get dog-piled, not wanting to get in the girls’ way as they welcomed their own saviour.
However, things did not end up going as hoped. The five Humans invited Princess Twilight to join their band for the upcoming competition, one that the Sirens had managed to manipulate for their own cause. Sunset stayed on the sideline, not willing to speak up in her defence as the band started to squabble and the Princess floundered.
It all came to a head during the finals, with the Sirens manipulating a student into disposing of the Rainbooms, the girl’s only managing to get out thanks to the actions of Spike. However, the Sirens had gained too much power, and the Rainbooms were too disjointed to put up an actual fight. As the spectral projections of the Sirens flew overhead, with Princess Twilight and the other members of the Rainbooms laying defeated, Sunset Shimmer ran. Princess Twilight had tried to call out for her help earlier, but Sunset’s guilt about her past, and the actions of the school students, Human members of the Rainbooms included, prevented her from coming to their aid, claiming that she didn’t have the Magic of Friendship.
Sunset clenched the magic journal close as she ran away from the amphitheater, the haunting cackles of victory ringing in her ears as she fled towards into the school. There was only one choice left now- to try and prevent the Sirens from getting to Equestria. She forced her way into a supply closet, retrieving a familiar mallet before scribbling a hurried message in the magic journal, warning of what happened to this world, and to destroy the portal on the other side- lest the Sirens cross over.
She came to a pause in front of the horse statue, heavy hammer in one hand, journal in the other. She choked back a sob as she threw the journal through the front of the statue, the surface rippling momentarily before freezing in that state- the magic tied to it becoming discordant, before Sunset grabbed the hammer in both hands, and swung.
(\/):..:(\/)
The world had changed so much since that day. The brainwashed masses would tell you for the better, but the last remaining member of the only source of resistance would tell you otherwise as she slowly stood up, shaking her head before brushing a few of her sapphire hued locks out of her eyes. She was certain they were aware that she was here- how could they not be. Any moment now, some nameless Spec Ops agent would put a bullet through her head, and the greatest “enemy” the world has ever known would be no more.
The girl stood there, looking around lazily. She had achieved her last goal, to return here. Everything that her and all of the other members of the group had been posted online at a nearby library, though if it wasn’t instantly taken down, it would probably not even be believed anyways. Such was the extent of the Sirens power, thanks to devouring the Equestrian Magic of the Rainbooms.
A few minutes passed, the girl still standing alone as confusion began to sink in. Where were they? They were just toying with her now, right? She could almost get angry if she didn’t already accept she was a dead woman walking. The weight that had been piled on her shoulders from the last seven years on the run had been lifted when she finally returned to the city, and now it was slowly returning.
Eventually, a long limousine, coloured a regal, rich purple came to a stop in front of the school, the driver, and older man exiting and walking to one of the rearmost doors, before pausing and opening it, allowing the three familiar figures to exit out.
“Took you three long enough.” the girl half shouted, shifting her hands around in her bulky, out of season coat.
The lead figure seemed to chuckle as she shrugged, shaking her large mane of curly orange hair. “What can I say…” Adagio said back slowly. “We weren’t expecting to meet you here so suddenly.”
“Finally thrown in the towel, huh?” the ever antagonistic smirk of Aria glinted in the early afternoon light as the stocky Siren came to a stop a few feet away, resting her firm hands on her hips. “All those years of running and living off of scraps, and it all leads up to this.”
The girl scowled as she watched the third Siren, Sonata Dusk slowly peak her head over her other two sisters as they continued to play into their villainous role. Her expression was mixed, unreadable as her magenta eyes slowly studied the girl.
“Ya, well…” the girl snickered slightly after turning back to the main two Sirens, her hand slowly pulling out of her pocket, firmly grasping the worn grip of the most important part of her return. The instant she pulled out and revealed her concealed weapon she was covered in innumerable red dots from all around her. She smirked as thought about all the time these agents have probably wasted. “What can I say, I wanted this to be special.”
“Surely you don’t expect to be able to do anything to us, Sunset.” Adagio scoffed as she raised a hand, the dots vanishing while Aria stood cackling like a hyena. “We rule this world, and I intend to reward you for your little stunt seven years ago. So go ahead, try and shoot one of us. I promise it won’t work.”
Sunset Shimmer gave an emotionless chuckle, nodding her head before she looked up at Adagio. The Siren still looked exactly the same as that day, not a second of age added to her as Sunset felt the years build up under her eyes as she waved the pistol around slightly.
“Who said it was for you?” Sunset smiled, the looks on the faces of the three Sirens being the happiest thing she had ever experienced as the pistol was suddenly brought up to the side of her head.
The air echoed the sound of a single shot for a city block.